


Forgiveness

by ThereIsNoTragedyInThat



Series: The Hero and The Thief [1]
Category: The Great Wall (2017)
Genre: Communication, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Idiots in Love, Insecure Pero Tovar, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Canon, Soft William Garin, ish, like always
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:34:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29912874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat/pseuds/ThereIsNoTragedyInThat
Summary: Tovar struggles to believe he was worthy of being saved by William.
Relationships: William Garin/Pero Tovar
Series: The Hero and The Thief [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2199645
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	Forgiveness

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Palm Kiss
> 
> I struggled so hard to decide if I should use Tovar or Pero and in the end one prevailed. Honestly though, I'll probably use interchangeably with these fics.

William grimaced as his eyes settled on the horizon, just beyond the towering sand dunes, where dark clouds had begun to gather in number. Their horses were growing restless and that coupled with the wind starting to blow in earnest, prompted him to suggest they halt for the day. The soldiers charged with escorting them for miles yet, simply gave a sharp nod and turned to the left, clearly expecting to find shelter nearby.

Alone for the first time since they started riding, William let his gaze wander to Tovar. He was slumped in his saddle, head nodding toward his chest and he wondered when he’d last had a descent night’s sleep. For the majority of the ride, he’d been terribly silent, a trait that was normal among strangers…but not around him. It left William feeling unsettled, like something vital had been removed from him and needed to be put to rights.

Tovar nudged his horse to follow after the riders and William wasn’t able to hold his tongue any longer, “wait a moment? Please.”

They stilled and the strangeness of the whole thing increased tenfold when Tovar would not meet his eyes, barely turned to look at him, leaving William to wonder what happened to the bold man he knew so well, the man who’d followed him through hell and into the lion’s nest, who’d saved his life.

As it was, Tovar sighed, like a great burden weighed on his shoulders, “William, we need to make camp before the storm reaches us, whatever it is can wait.”

He was right, though William loathed to admit it, so in silence they followed after the soldiers who had found a place with a cliff wall on two sides and a slight overhang. It would do most of the work of blocking the wind and some of the rain.

In the end, setting up the tents, preparing food, and stoking a fire took less then a quarter of the time it usually would, with their escort taking it upon themselves to take care of these chores. To William it was obvious that it had little to do with propriety and everything to do with efficiency. Yet for all that, Tovar seemed intent on keeping himself busy, brushing, watering, and feeding the horses, his back turned to the group, clearly disinviting conversation.

Staring at his companion, just outside the ring of light, he wondered what had caused his mood to turn so drastically. There was a not insignificant part of him that was tempted to send away their escort come morning, to cloak themselves back in the privacy of two weary travellers in foreign lands.

But it would be unwise, they hadn’t even crossed a quarter of these lands and while he and Tovar were good at fighting, at surviving, he wasn’t willing to take the risk, not yet anyway. Sighing, he stood and ignored the way several of the soldiers turned their gazes on him, watching as he walked away from the fire.

William knew Tovar heard him approach, didn’t bother trying to quiet his steps and he couldn’t help but notice the way his posture seemed to stiffen. The sight was unpleasant and for the first time, stirrings of irritation prickled along his skin, unable to fathom the reason for his friend’s behaviour, found himself hating the awkwardness between them.

He saw the way Tovar’s hands fell still where they’d been fiddling with the buckle of the saddle, noted how his head bowed minutely and when he finally came to a stop next to him, his lips seemed to tighten into a grimace.

Voice pitched low so they wouldn’t be overheard, William let his annoyance show, arms crossing over his chest, “what is the matter with you?” Tovar said nothing, his eyes averted, and his hands tingled with the urge to grab the man. “talk to me Tovar.”

“What would you have me say amigo?” he grumbled.

“Anything,” William replied fervently, “but I would not have you treat me as little more than a stranger.”

Tovar finally looked at him, his brows furrowed in disbelief, “you’re making no sense William.”

He wouldn’t admit it but the sound of his name on Tovar’s lips was relief, he’d gone far too long without the sweetness of that accented tone shaping his name, “you are the one that has been acting strangely.”

“Exactly,” his eyes seemed to brighten slightly, like he was finally saying something he wanted to hear. “Why did you choose me over the gunpowder?”

William blinked, thrown by the question, couldn’t fathom why he’d ask when the answer was so achingly obvious, “what?”

Tovar’s body turned toward him, a hand reaching out to hook itself in the top of his tunic and now his voice was almost pleading, like he his life depended on such a simple matter, “I betrayed you, I left you behind to die on that wall. William, tell my why you’d want me after all that.”

Staring into Tovar’s sincere, confused eyes, there was a small shock that went through him as he realized that his friend truly did not know the answer, that it must have been agonizing him since they’d left the wall, since he’d pulled him from that cell. He almost laughed, would have if the other man’s ignorance wasn’t also heartbreaking.

Reaching for the hand still curled in his tunic, he carefully peeled it away, adjusted his grip so he had him by the wrist, fingers tight so he wouldn’t pull away. Staring into his eyes, he slowly brought his hand to his lips and pressed a delicate, chaste kiss to his palm. Tovar seemed to freeze, a flush barely visible in the dim lighting, on his cheeks, so he kissed it again, trailing his lifeline, cracked lips meeting calloused palm, before pulling away.

“Tovar,” he murmured. “Did you really think all those nights we spent together meant nothing?”

William wouldn’t blame him if he did, not really, not when they’d often been done for release and little else as they traversed deserted lands. Still, as they neared the wall, things had grown increasingly tender between them and now he simply hoped the wall hadn’t ruined what solace they’d found together.

Tovar swallowed thickly, “I betrayed you.”

“You also saved my life.”

“I’ve saved your life many times,” he was quick to remind him, eyes narrowing and that was more like the man he knew.

“Yes, so let’s call it even then,” he replied, squeezing the hand still held in his. When he didn’t move, didn’t open his mouth to respond, William attempted one more plea, “I’ve forgiven you, now I’m asking you to forgive yourself. Please.”

A long moment passed when suddenly, Tovar nodded, a slow, familiar smirk spreading across his lips and just like that, William felt the world right itself, returning to how it should always be. Them, side by side, until death. 


End file.
